Family of beloved Sheffield builder helped him to fulfill last wishes by arranging for him to arrive at funeral on back of merchants lorry

George Green passed away at his Walkley home with his family by his side on May 1, aged 63.

Honouring his last wishes his family arranged for him to be taken to his funeral at Grenoside Crematorium on the back of an MKM lorry.

His coffin was, at his request, adorned with stickers including ‘fragile’ and ‘this way up’ and his work boots.

Around 100 people lined the street close to where George lived and outside the Walkley Cottage, one of his favourite pubs, as his coffin passed.

His wife Cath said the final wishes summed George up.

She said: “We were surprised he had even thought about his final wishes and written them down.

“We were shocked at first when we discovered them because we didn’t think it would be possible to arranged.

“They sum him up perfectly. He liked to be individual and do things differently. He was always the joker.”

George grew up in Grimesthorpe with his two older sisters Diane and Denise.

He went to Elsmere Road School and Hinde House Secondary School before turning his hand to various trades, but construction was where he was highly skilled.

He ran his own construction company for many years – renovating and constructing buildings and homes across the city.

He developed a shop into flats at the end of South Road and had his named etched in a decorative brick on the side of the building.

He was also involved in the renovation of the Lyceum Theatre.

George was introduced to Cath on her birthday by friends in Josephines nightclub in 1990. They married in 1995 and went on to have two daughters, Elizabeth and Georgina.

He enjoyed playing golf, watching documentaries and travelling around the world – a passion which did not dampen, even after his cancer diagnosis 2014.

In recent years he travelled to Jordan, the Caribbean and Croatia.

Elizabeth said: “He was so creative, hands-on and enthusiastic about everything he did.

“He was also very strong-willed.”

Due to social distancing a celebration of George’s life will be arranged at a later date.

His family are now raising money to buy a syringe driver, which administers medication and helped George in his final days.

Less than 24 hours after launching it they had already surpassed their £1,000 target. To donate click here.